Members Demand Bolaji Be Declared Winner
The Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ) has been plunged into an electoral crisis following Wednesday’s virtual election in which the incumbent National President, Abdulrahman Aliagan, was declared re-elected by 24 votes to 23, amid protests over irregularities in the voting process.
The disputed one-vote margin has become the centre of the controversy, with aggrieved members insisting that two unauthorised votes be removed from the final tally and Comrade Israel Bolaji, popularly known as Bashorun, declared the winner.
Scores of members have resigned from the Guild in protest, while others have rejected the outcome and called for a review of the disputed votes.
The crisis has also led to the resignation of the newly elected National Public Relations/Welfare Officer, Mr Kehinde Adeleye, who, despite winning his own contest, rejected the outcome of the presidential election.
Adeleye said the election was compromised by multiple voting, claiming that Aliagan and an ally, Oyewale Oyelola, were allowed to cast votes through their respective media organisations in a manner that contravened the Guild’s longstanding voting practice.
According to him, the NGIJ had, over the past eight years, operated a system in which each media organisation was entitled to one vote.
He said the arrangement was breached during Wednesday’s election, giving the incumbent and his ally an unfair advantage.
“NGIJ elections in the last over eight years of its history have always operated a one-vote-to-one-media-house system. However, curiously, Abdulrahman Aliagan, as the outgoing President seeking re-election, vetoed his employee and those of his close ally, who was also seeking re-election, to vote in the last election.
“This caused him to win with one vote. Members protested massively and called for the two votes to be cancelled and Comrade Israel Bolaji, popularly known as Bashorun, to be declared the winner.”
The protesters argued that removing the two disputed votes from the 24-23 result would fundamentally alter the outcome and give Bolaji the majority.
The development triggered a wave of resignations from the Guild, including that of a former National President, Ayo Mojoyin.
Also reacting to the development, Bolaji rejected the election outcome, describing the process as “a joke taken too far”.
He alleged that Aliagan exerted pressure on members of the Electoral Committee to permit multiple voting in a manner that favoured his candidacy and that of his ally.
“Aliagan is deluding himself about being re-elected. How can you win an election when half of the members have walked out and resigned from the association over the conduct and outcome of the election?
“This clearly shows the depth of the crisis and the rejection of the process by a significant number of members.”
Bolaji further said members raised concerns about multiple voting before the election was concluded, but the complaints were ignored.
“From the build-up to the election, there was too much pressure on the Mr Lateef Owodunni-led Electoral Committee by the incumbent President, Abdulrahman Aliagan, who was hell-bent on influencing the process, having lost goodwill due to poor performance in the last two years.
“He was publicly advocating for a system that allows only himself and his Vice President, Oyewale Oyelola, to enjoy a multiple-voting process through his employees smuggled into the voters’ register.
“Upon realising this, members insisted the swearing-in should not go on. Also, there were other irregularities recorded in the election. Some members complained about not voting while the electronic process showed they voted, casting further doubt and lack of credibility on the election.”
The disputed election followed months of internal campaigning during which members expressed concerns about the performance of the outgoing administration under Aliagan.
The latest development has created uncertainty over the future direction of the Guild, with aggrieved members demanding accountability, transparency and a review of the electoral process.
